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Narcissus, in Roman history

(Encyclopedia)Narcissus, d. a.d. 54, secretary of the Roman Emperor Claudius I. A freedman with great influence, he revealed to Claudius the intrigue of Messalina and expedited her death (a.d. 48). The woman that N...

archangel, in religion

(Encyclopedia)archangel ärkˈānjəl [key], chief angel. They are four to seven in number. Sometimes specific functions are ascribed to them. The four best known in Christian tradition are Michael, Gabriel, Raphae...

Celtic religion

(Encyclopedia)Celtic religion: see druids.

Assyrian religion

(Encyclopedia)Assyrian religion: see Middle Eastern religions. ...

Babylonian religion

(Encyclopedia)Babylonian religion: see Middle Eastern religions. ...

nun, in religion

(Encyclopedia)nun: see monasticism.

Paradise, in religion

(Encyclopedia)Paradise: see Eden, Garden of; heaven. ...

Hadrian, Roman emperor

(Encyclopedia)Hadrian hāˈdrēən [key], a.d. 76–138, Roman emperor (117–138), b. Spain. His name in full was Publius Aelius Hadrianus. An orphan, he became the ward of Trajan. Hadrian distinguished himself as...

Io, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Io īˈō [key], in astronomy, one of the 39 known moons, or natural satellites, of Jupiter. Io is subject to Jupiter's enormous tidal forces and is, as a result, the most volcanically active body in ...

civil war, in Roman history

(Encyclopedia)civil war, in Roman history: see Marius and Sulla; Pompey and Julius Caesar. ...